E257 series
The E257 series is a Japanese Limited Express electric multiple unit. Built from 2001 to 2005 in two distinct batches for JR East, the E257 series sets are mainly used on the Azusa and Kaiji Limited Express services, although they are slowly being phased out of the former. History The E257 series was designed in 2001 to replace aging 183 and 189 series sets on Azusa services, along with the 165 series sets as a whole. These entered service on 1 December 2001 and have been used on the Azusa and Kaiji services ever since. Originally, sixteen nine-car sets, numbered M101 to M116, and five "add-on" two-car sets, numbered M201 to M205, were produced in 2001; these sets are numbered in the -0 sub-series. Nineteen additional five-car sets used to replace 183 series sets on Sazanami services were produced from 2004 to 2005, entering service on 16 October 2004 and used on the Sazanami and Wakashio services since then. The additional nineteen sets are numbered in the -500 sub-series. All sets from all sub-series are currently in service; the E257-0 series sets are based at Matsumoto Depot while the E257-500 series sets are based at Makuhari Depot. The E257 series sets are notable for currently being the most numerous Limited Express electric multiple unit operated by any branch of the Japanese Railways, with 249 cars produced; while technically the 683 series sets operated by JR West had higher production figures with 270 cars produced, the scrapping of some 683 series cars and the conversion of others to 289 series cars invalidates the claim. 137 cars are slated to be converted into E257-2000 and -2500 series sets; the first few -2000 sets have been converted as of December 2019. The sets are slated to enter service in Spring 2020 on the Odoriko service, replacing the 185 and 251 series sets over time. Design The E257-0 series sets uses a contemporary design with a white body with black accents, while the E257-500 series sets use a white body with yellow accents, similar to the older 255 series sets. The train uses a "relaxation in simplicity" design language, which gives it its shape. Cab variations There are three cab design variations of the E257 series. Two are used by the E257-0 series sets (one is a gangwayed cab end, the other is a standard cab end) and the third is used by the E257-500 series sets. E257 M104 Kaiji Chūō 2017.jpg|E257-0 series set M104 on a Kaiji service on the Chūō Main Line in June 2017. E257 M106 Shinjuku 2005.jpg|E257-0 series set M106 going out of service at Shinjuku Station in October 2005, showing off its gangwayed cab end. E257-500 NB01 Kasairinkaikōen 2011.jpg|E257-500 series set NB01 passing Kasairinkaikōen Station on the Keiyō Line in September 2011. E257-2000 NA03 Gangwayed 2019.jpg|E257-2000 series set NA03 undergoing test-running on the Chūō-Sōbu Line in September 2019, showing off its gangwayed cab end. Specifications Construction is of a double-skinned aluminum alloy based on the Hitachi A-Train concept. End cars are 21 meters long while intermediate cars are 20.5 meters long. The sets use insulated gate bipolar transistor variable frequency drives; the E257-0 series sets use Hitachi IGBT drives which produce a melodic wail while the E257-500 series sets use Mitsubishi IGBT drives which produce a hissing sound. The sets have LED screens on the front which display the service the train is currently working. The headlamps of the sets use a combination of one large shield-beam headlamp combined with a far smaller high-intensity discharge headlamp fixture; the taillights of the sets are red LEDs. The TIMS system comes standard with the E257 series sets. Set NA09 sports a newer livery with blue accents and a "Series E257" logo splashed on the front. The set sports LED lamp fixtures as opposed to high-intensity discharge headlamps. Both the E257-0 and E257-500 series sets are equipped with a later version of a musical horn that is standard on most of JR East's Limited Express fleet. The musical horn is usually blasted when a set is about to depart. References *Wikipedia.org Category:JR Group trains Category:Electric Trainsets Category:Hitachi locomotives Category:Kinki Sharyo locomotives Category:Tokyu Car locomotives